The Rana grylio virus (RGV) is a member of the genus Ranavirus. It belongs to the family Iridoviridae, and contains the gene 67R encoding dUTPase. In order to investigate the function of 67R in the replication and infection of RGV, we constructed Δ67R-RGV, a recombinant virus with deletion of 67R. First, we constructed the plasmid pGL3-67RL-p50-EGFP-67RR which carried an enhanced green fluorescence gene (EGFP) as a selectable marker. After homologous recombination between pGL3-67RL-p50-EG- FP-67RR and the RGV genome, Epithelioma papulosum cyprini (EPC) cells were infected with the resulting mixture. Through ten successive rounds of plaque isolation via EGFP selection, all plaques emitted green fluorescence, and finally Δ67R-RGV was generated. Total DNA of Δ67R-RGV infected cells was extracted for PCR analyses. Simulateously, mock infected and wild-type RGV (wt-RGV) infected cells were used as a comparison. Results showed that 67R could be detected in wt-RGV infected cells, but that only the EGFP gene was detected in Δ67R-RGV infected cells. Furthermore, one-step growth curves of wt-RGV and Δ67R-RGV were similar. Therefore, 67R and its encoding product dUTPase might not be essential for the growth of RGV. These results suggest that, homologous recombination and recombinant rana- virus could be used to study the gene function of viruses in aquatic animals.
Genes, Viral ; physiology ; Genome, Viral ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pyrophosphatases ; genetics ; Ranavirus ; genetics ; Recombination, Genetic

As an important drug during maintenance treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) has several side effects, including hepatotoxicity and bone marrow suppression. Since its tolerability varies from person to person, 6-MP treatment should be individualized. The deficiency of thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) enzyme activity is associated with 6-MP intolerance. There is a lower frequency of mutation in TPMT alleles among Asian patients. Recent studies have shown that in ALL patients with NUDT15 gene mutation, the maximum tolerated dose of 6-MP is lower than the conventional dose. The article reviews the significance of NUDT15 gene in individualized treatment with 6-MP in children with ALL.
Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic ; Child ; Humans ; Mercaptopurine ; Methyltransferases ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; Pyrophosphatases ; genetics

BACKGROUND: ADP-ribosyl pyrophosphatases (ADPRase) has been known to catalyze the hydrolysis of ADP-ribose to ribose-5-phosphate and AMP. The role of ADPRase has been suggested to sanitize the cell by removing potentially toxic ADP-ribose. In this study, we examined the effect of nitric oxide on ADPRase activity in macrophages. METHODS: ADPRase activity was measured in NO-inducing J774 cells. For in vitro experiments, recombinant human ADPRase was prepared in bacteria. RESULTS: ADPRase activity was increased by the treatment of exogenous NO generating reagent, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), in J774 cells. The increased ADPRase activity was mediated by the post-translational modification, likely to cause cADP-ribosylation via nitrosylation of cysteine residue on the enzyme. The stimulation with endogeneous NO inducers, TNF-alpha/IFN-gamma, also increased ADPRase activity through NO synthesis. Futhermore, ADPRase activity may be mediated by the post-translational modification of ADPRase, ADP-ribosylation. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that NO synthesized by macrophage activation plays a critical role in the increase in ADPRase activity following ADP-ribose metabolism.
Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose* ; Bacteria ; Cysteine ; Humans ; Hydrolysis ; Macrophage Activation ; Macrophages ; Metabolism ; Nitric Oxide* ; Nitroprusside ; Protein Processing, Post-Translational ; Pyrophosphatases

BACKGROUND: Ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase-1 (ENPP1) generates inorganic pyrophosphate, a solute that serves as an essential physiological inhibitor of calcification. Inactivating mutations of ENPP1 are associated with generalized calcification in infancy and an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We hypothesized that the ENPP1 K121Q variant may be associated with increased coronary artery calcification in T2DM patients. METHODS: The study subjects were aged 34 to 85 years and showed no evidence of clinical cardiovascular disease prior to recruitment. A total of 140 patients with T2DM were assessed for their coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores and ENPP1 K121Q polymorphisms were identified. RESULTS: The prevalence of subjects carrying the KQ genotype was 12.9% (n = 18). There were no 121QQ homozygotes. Patients with the KQ genotype did not show a significantly higher CAC score (122 vs. 18; P = 0.858). We matched each patient with the KQ genotype to a respective control with the KK genotype by gender, age, and duration of diabetes. When compared to matched controls, we observed no significant difference in CAC score (P = 0.959). CONCLUSIONS: The ENPP1 K121Q polymorphism does not appear to be associated with coronary artery calcification in patients with T2DM.
Aged ; Calcium ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Coronary Vessels ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Diphosphates ; Genotype ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Lifting ; Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases ; Prevalence ; Pyrophosphatases

OBJECTIVETo prepare and characterize rabbit polyclonal antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii vacuolar proton pyrophosphatase type I (TgVP1).

METHODS AND RESULTSTwo synthesized peptides TgVP1-1 and TgVP1-2 as the haptens were conjugated with KLH to immunize rabbits. Indirect ELISA showed that the titers of rabbit anti-TgVP1-1 polyclonal antibody and rabbit anti-TgVP1-2 polyclonal antibody reached 1:128 000. Western blotting results revealed that both purified polyclonal antibodies could specifically bind to a purified 85 kD T. gondii protein predicted as TgVP1. The protein detected by these two polyclonal antibodies was distributed in the cytoplasm of T. gondii tachyzoite, and this distribution pattern was consistent with that of acidocalcisome.

CONCLUSIONThe peptide-based method of antibody generation is efficient and the obtained TgVP1 polyclonal antibodies possess a high specificity to facilitate further study of T. gondii acidocalcisome and the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis.

Animals ; Antibodies ; immunology ; Blotting, Western ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Protozoan Proteins ; immunology ; Pyrophosphatases ; immunology ; Rabbits ; Toxoplasma ; enzymology

Anemia ; chemically induced ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Humans ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Pyrophosphatases ; genetics ; Ribavirin ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use

Increased FcepsilonR1alpha expression with upregulated CD203c expression on peripheral basophils is seen in patients with chronic urticaria (CU). However, there has been no published report on the association between CD203c expression level and clinical disease activity in CU patients. To investigate whether the increase of basophil activation is associated with the disease activity of CU, we measured basophil CD203c expression using a tricolor flow cytometric method in 82 CU patients and 21 normal controls. The relationship between the percentage of CD203c-expressing basophils and clinical parameters was analyzed. The mean basophil CD203c expression was significantly higher in CU patients than in healthy controls (57.5% vs 11.6%, P < 0.001). The basophil CD203c expression in severe CU patients was significantly higher than in non-severe CU (66.5% +/- 23.3% vs 54.0% +/- 23.3%, P = 0.033). Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that both > or = 72% basophil CD203c expression and urticaria activity score (UAS)> or = 13 were significant predictors of severe CU (P = 0.005 and P = 0.032, respectively). These findings suggest that the quantification of basophil activation with CD203c at baseline may be used as a potential predictor of severe CU requiring another treatment option beyond antihistamines.
Adult ; Autoantibodies/blood ; Basophils/*immunology ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E/blood/immunology ; Male ; Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases/biosynthesis/*immunology ; Pyrophosphatases/biosynthesis/*immunology ; Receptors, IgE/biosynthesis ; Urticaria/*immunology

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of PC-1 gene knockdown on the biological action of prostate cancer cell line C4-2.

METHODSRecombinant plasmids of expressing short hairpin RNA targeting PC-1 mRNA were constructed using DNA recombinant technology and transfected into C4-2 cells via liposome. The positive cell clones were selected by G418. The expression of PC-1 gene was analyzed by RT-PCR and Western blotting technology. MTT and soft agar cloning formation were applied to observe the changes of the growth rate and independent anchor ability of C4-2 cells.

RESULTSPC-1 RNA interference severely affected the expression of PC-1 gene and reduced the growth and colony formation ability of C4-2 cells.

CONCLUSIONRNA interference-mediated PC-1 gene knockdown can decrease the growth and cloning formation ability of C4-2 cells.

Cell Line, Tumor ; Down-Regulation ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Male ; Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Pyrophosphatases ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Transfection

OBJECTIVEFindings from the previous studies have suggested a relationship between ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 1 (ENPP-1) or plasma cell membrane glycoprotein 1 (PC-1) gene single nucleotide polymorphism (K121Q, rs1044498) and genetic susceptibility to obesity. However, such relationship is not reproduced by some currently available studies. In this context, the present study is aimed to quantitatively analyze the association of K121Q variant with obesity in all published case-control studies in European adult populations.

METHODSPublished literature from PubMed, EMBASE, and ISI web of science databases were retrieved. The studies evaluating the association of ENPP1/PC1 gene K121Q polymorphism with obesity were included, in which sufficient data were presented to calculate the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTSTen case-control studies meeting the inclusion criteria identified a total of 24,324 subjects including 11,372 obese and 12,952 control subjects. The meta-analysis results showed a statistically significant association of K121Q with obesity [OR (95%CI): 1.25 (1.04-1.52) P=0.021] under a recessive model of inheritance (QQ vs. KK+KQ) without heterogeneity or publication bias.

CONCLUSIONSThe results from the present study have indicated that ENPP1/PC1 Q121 variant may increase the risk of obesity and that more well-designed studies based on a larger population will be required to further evaluate the role of ENPP1/PC1 gene K121Q polymorphism in obesity and other related metabolic syndromes.

Europe ; epidemiology ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Obesity ; epidemiology ; genetics ; Odds Ratio ; Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Pyrophosphatases ; genetics ; Risk Factors

Mercaptopurine is a common chemotherapeutic drug and immunosuppressive agent and plays an important role in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and inflammatory bowel disease. It may cause severe adverse effects such as myelosuppression, which may result in the interruption of treatment or complications including infection or even threaten patients' lives. However, the adverse effects of mercaptopurine show significant racial and individual differences, which reveal the important role of genetic diversity. Recent research advances in pharmacogenomics have gradually revealed the genetic nature of such differences. This article reviews the recent research advances in the pharmacogenomics and individualized application of mercaptopurine.
Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Mercaptopurine ; metabolism ; therapeutic use ; Methyltransferases ; genetics ; Pharmacogenetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Pyrophosphatases ; genetics